Admiral Howe arrived Friday night last, so that we may-expect a visit from them soon, but we hope to give them a warm reception.

I would acquaint your Honour that I have appointed the Rev. Isaac Lewis as Chaplain, and Doctor Salua Pell as Surgeon, with Amos Baker as his mate. I wish they may meet your approbation. Their abilities in their different departments, I make no doubt, are equal to the task.

And I am, honoured sir, your obedient, humble servant,

PHILIP B. BRADLEY.

The Hon. Jonathan Trumbull, Esq.

GENERAL WASHINGTON TO PRESIDENT OR CONGRESS.

[Read July 16, 1776. Referred to the Board of War.]

New-York, July 14, 1776.

SIR: My last, of Friday evening, which I had the honour of addressing you, advised that two of the enemy's ships of war and three tenders had run above our batteries here and the works at the upper end of the Island. I am now to inform you, that yesterday forenoon, receiving intelligence from General Mifflin that they had passed the Tappan Sea, and were trying to proceed higher up, by advice of R. R. Livingston, Esq., and other gentlemen, I despatched an express to General Clinton, of Ulster, and the Committee of Safety for Dutchess County, to take measures for securing the passes in the Highlands, lest they might have designs of seizing them, and have a force concealed for the purpose. I wrote the evening before to the commanding officers of the two garrisons there, to be vigilant, and prepared against any attempts they or any disaffected persons might make against them, and to forward expresses all the way to Albany, that provision and other vessels might be secured and prevented falling into their hands. The information given General Mifflin was rather premature, as to their having gone past the sea. A letter from the Committee of Orange County, which came to hand this morning, says they were there yesterday, and that a regiment of their Militia was under arms to prevent their landing and making an incursion. The messenger who brought it, and to whom it refers for particulars, adds, that a party of them in two or three boats had approached the shore, but were forced back by our people firing at them. Since the manoeuvre of Friday there have been no other movements in the fleet.

General Sullivan, in a letter of the 2d instant, informs me of his arrival with the Army at Crown-Point, where he is fortifying and throwing up works. He adds, that he has secured all the stores, except three cannon left at Chambly, which in part is made up by taking a fine twelve-pounder out of the Lake. The Army h sickly, many with the small-pox, and he is apprehensive the Militia ordered to join them will not escape the infection. An officer he had sent to reconnoitre had reported that he saw at St. John's about one hundred and fifty tents, twenty at St. Roy's, and fifteen at Chambly, and works at the first were busily carrying on.

I have enclosed a General Return of the Army here, which will show the whole of our strength; all the detached posts are included.

A letter from the eastward, by last night's post, to Mr. Hazard, Postmaster in this, city, advises, that two ships have been taken and carried into Cape Ann—one from Antigua, consigned to General Howe, with four hundred and thirty-nine puncheons of rum; the other a Jamaicaman, with four hundred hogsheads of sugar, two hundred puncheons of rum, thirty-nine bales of cotton, pimento, fustic, &c., &c.; each mounted two guns, six-pounders.

About three o'clock this afternoon I was informed that a flag from Lord Howe was coming up, and waited with two of our whale-boats until directions should be given. I immediately convened such of the General Officers as were not upon other duty, who agreed in opinion that I ought not to receive any letter directed to me as a private gentleman; but if otherwise, and the officer desired to come up to deliver the letter himself, as was suggested, he should come under a safe conduct. Upon this, I directed Colonel Reed to go down and manage the affair under the above general instruction. On his return he informed me, that after the common civilities, the officer acquainted him that he had a letter from Lord Howe to Mr. Washington, which he showed, under a superscription "To George Washington, Esq." Colonel Reed replied, there was no such person in the Army, and that a letter intended for the General could not be received under such a direction. The officer expressed great concern; said it was a letter of rather a civil than military nature; that Lord Howe regretted he had not arrived sooner; that he (Lord Howe) had great powers. The anxiety to have the letter received was very evident, though the officer disclaimed all knowledge of its contents. However, Colonel Reed's instructions being positive, they parted. After they had got some distance, the officer with the flag again put about, and asked under what direction Mr. Washington chose to be addressed; to which Colonel Reed answered, his station wag well known, and that certainly they could be at no loss how to direct to him. The officer said they knew and lamented it; and again repeated his wish that the letter could be received. Colonel Reed told him a proper direction would obviate all difficulties, and that this was no new matter, the subject having been fully discussed in the course of the last year, of which Lord Howe could not be ignorant: upon which they parted.

I would not, upon any occasion, sacrifice essentials to punctilio; but in this instance, the opinion of others concurring with my own, I deemed it a duty to my country and my appointment to insist upon that respect which in any other than a publick view I would willingly have waived. Nor do I doubt but, from the supposed nature of the message and the anxiety expressed, they will either repeat their flag, or fall upon some mode to communicate the import and consequence of it.

I have been duly honoured with your two letters, that of the 10th by Mr. Anderson, and the 11th with its enclosures, and have directed the Quartermaster to provide him with everything he wants to carry his scheme into execution. It is an important one, and I wish it success, but I am doubtful that it will be better in theory than practice.

The passage of the ships of war and tenders up the river is a mailer of great importance, and has excited much conjecture and speculation. To me, two things have occurred, as leading them to this proceeding: first, a design to seize on the narrow passes on both sides the river, giving almost the only land communication with Albany, and, of consequence, with our northern Army, and for which purpose they might have troops concealed on board, which they deemed competent of themselves, as the defiles are narrow, or that they would be joined by many disaffected persons in that quarter; others have added a probability of their having a large quantity of arms on board, to be in readiness to put into the hands of the Tories immediately on the arrival of the fleet, or rather, at the time they intend to make their attack. The second is, to cut off entirely all intercourse between this place and Albany by water, and the upper country, and to prevent supplies of every kind going and coming. These matters are truly alarming, and of such importance that I have written to the Provincial Congress of New-York, and recommended to their serious consideration the adoption of every possible expedient to guard against the two first, and have suggested the propriety of their employing the Militia, or some part of them, in the Counties in which their defiles are, to keep the enemy from possessing them, until further provision can be made; and to write to the several leading persons on our side, in that quarter, to be attentive to all the movements of the ships and the disaffected, in order to discover and frustrate whatever pernicious schemes they have in view.

In respect to the second conjecture of my own, and which seems to be generally adopted, I have the pleasure to inform Congress, that, if their design is to keep the Armies from provisions, the Commissary has told me, upon inquiry, that he has forwarded supplies to Albany, now there and above it, sufficient for ten thousand men for four months; that he has a sufficiency here for twenty thousand men for three months, and an abundant quantity secured in different parts of the Jerseys for the Flying-Camp, besides having about four thousand barrels of flour in some neighbouring part of Connecticut. Upon this head there is but little occasion for any apprehensions, at least for a considerable time.

I have the honour to be, with sentiments of great esteem, your most obedient servant,

GO WASHINGTON.

P. S. I have sent orders to the commanding officer of the Pennsylvania Militia to march to Amboy, as their remaining at Trenton can be of no service.